From Charity Nwakaudu and Emmanuel Oguike, Abuja

 

The Federal Government has commended the efforts of the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) for striving to discharge their mandate of continuous registration of professionals in the sector, as a way to stamp out quackery and other un-ethical practices bedeviling the extractive industry.

The Minister, Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, disclosed this today during the 11th Induction ceremony of 214 Professionals into the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) in Abuja.

According to the minister, the Ministry will continue to support COMEG in its laudable objectives by providing the conducive atmosphere required for its operations.

Adegbite further added that the ministry is working with COMEG for the review of the COMEG Act which would bring the Council at par with similar Councils, making it more responsive to its professionals.

“We are also working with COMEG and its affiliate associations to ensure that registered Professionals get full recognition in all spheres of their endeavor as obtained in other councils” the minister added .

Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman, Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, Dr. Ebimotimi Godspower Okpoi, explained the reason behind the amount paid by the inductees for registration, saying
“The Council is fighting quackery in the Profession that have taken over in the extractive industries and in reducing the level of quackery in the field a lot need to be done and a lot of capital is required.”

He further clarified that COMEG is a body empowered by the law of the Federal Government of Nigeria to regulate the training of those to practice in the exalted Profession which the inductees have chosen to practice in from today.

“Presently, COMEG has done 2021 accreditation exercise of Programmes in Tertiary Institutions that offer Courses that are under its control to regulate” he stressed.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, represented by the Director, Human Resource Alhaji Suleiman, in her remarks, congratulated the inductees and urged them to protect their profession with all they have, so as to ensure that quacks do not overrun the profession.

The ceremony of oath taking and induction of the 214 Professionals was conducted by NMGS President, Surv. Alabo Charles, assisted by COMEG Registrar, Prof. Zacheus Opafunso.